Three Cups of Deceit

A year ago this morning I woke up early and shot baskets in the driveway with some visiting guests from Ohio. Then I drove them to the airport for their flight home, unintentionally leaving my phone out by the hoop.

When I returned I found a half-dozen missed calls and twice as many text messages waiting, which would have been odd for any morning, let alone early on Memorial Day. The first text I read was from Allen Kenney, who runs a popular Oklahoma Sooners blog.

It was a confusing message. I don't remember exactly how it was worded, but he was seeking some sort of reaction from me to the big news.

I figured he was making some reference to the podcast/interview I recorded with him prior to the weekend where I discussed how Ohio State would survive its first five games without its suspended head coach, Terrelle Pryor and the rest of the Tatgate Five. Then they would return for the final seven games, where they would unleash all of their collective frustrations on -

Oh.

And that was how I first learned that Jim Tressel was gone.

The other texts were similar; from friends, other bloggers, my mother - all except for the one from the friends whom I had just dropped off at EWR who remembered something funny that had happened when we were all in Manhattan on Saturday I don't know hold on what is this wait a second - Tressel is no longer Ohio State's coach? I was still standing in my driveway talking to a static text message.

That night I would read George Dohrmann's since-discredited Sports Illustrated bombshell, constructed exclusively off of decade-old rehash, anonymous (and subsequently skittish) sources, wholly unverifiable hearsay and - most famously - an allegedly-rigged football camp raffle from the early 1980s that Dohrmann felt compelled to include in his narrative to better illustrate what he had embarked on from the outset: It wasn't justone lie: Tressel sat on an entire throne of them.

I cobbled together a rambling blog post eulogy out of several anecdotes that had been lingering in my notes file for too long, previously destined for off-season topic chum. It was the second-hardest post I've ever had to write, only because I had to author my Florida/BCS piece through one bloodshot eye at 3am.

Then I tried to comprehend how a man who had published two books about virtuous living and who had $21MM left of guaranteed money on his employment contract - which would now be rendered down to one final $50,000 salary check - could be so complicit in allowing his career to unravel on account of petty cash violations by star players.

A year later I've stopped trying, because you cannot pin down a lie. It will never be submissive enough to bring you peace, so there's really no point to pursuing absolution.

It's very easy to stay angry at a lie. A lie is a constant in space that is violates the truth into eternity; the impure marriage of Newton's First Law with the only correct - but categorically untrue - answer to "does my ass look fat in these pants." Conversely, it's nearly impossible to stay angry at the truth. The truth is practically welcoming, even when it stings.

Tatgate was built on a lie that spawned a sea of mistruths, and Tressel ignited the fuse. Then came the news of the multi-year bowl ban - and the television ban that Jim Delany was heroically negotiating down in exchange for non-conference games: Lies that distracted you from the central lie.

Once it was widely reported as fact that Pryor made $40,000 signing autographs from secret junkets where he was paid to appear (the dollar figure obviously came from his secret accountant) Buckeye fans were in a blind rage. Dohrmann's pre-determined venture into unabashed narcissism was the climax.

And if only more people gave a crap about North Carolina football: Maybe ESPN would have been forced to split its obsession and the external pressure might have been lessened. Maybe Tressel survives.

Or maybe he never deserved to, and that media circus was window dressing on a valuable and quickly-forgotten lesson in hubris.

All of those lies, including Tressel's - which was the dumbest one of the lot - are easy to stay angry at until you spiral into a Brian Kelly-tinged heliotrope tantrum. The media led the spectacle that became the outrage parade before and since this anniversary of consequences, and for Ohio State that's simply one of the reliable spoils of being a program that matters.

However twisted you get over the media responsibility in covering news, at the core of it all is Tressel's big fib. Staying mad is just too easy for your fragile psyche.

On the flip side, anger directed at the truth has all the staying power of a fart in a monsoon. Ohio State had successfully pitched its Tressel/lone gunman theory to the NCAA and was set to receive a scholarship reduction plus probation until a more damaging truth reared its ugly head: Bobby D was on the loose and the university not only knew it, it permitted it.

This was organizational, grassy knoll-type stuff, but with supporting evidence.

And there's your bowl ban. Ohio State had fortuitously eluded the Repeat Offender whammy until it Repeat Offended right in front of everyone's face. That's your truth and its home-for-the-holidays consequences.

Truth is easy; lies are hard as hell. Lies require commitment and maintenance. You have to lie in perpetuity to make it work. You tell the truth once and then its echoes do the work for you.

Tressel lied all summer, fall and winter up until Ohio State dug around in his email archives and found a yellowing message from a well-intentioned but undeniably obtuse attorney describing the Tatgate scheme. Then they found Tressel's acknowledgement to that message, which was a damning precursor to several denials that it existed.

What made Tressel's departure more difficult was that it wasn't the end of Ohio State's headaches. It was just the end of Tressel, and while he felled himself to save Ohio State there was unambiguously very little that was sacrificial about his dismissal, unless you've ever heard of a lamb that brings its own lighter fluid and matches to the pyre.

That's a truth that's easier to accept one year later. Tressel is gone because of Tressel. The foolish lie that served as the catalyst for his removal is still harder to accept. It produced - or exposed - a whole slew of other problems, least of all the one that removed him from Ohio State.

One year later the football program has Urban Meyer running things with a superior staff to any Tressel had since the Joe Daniels/Mark Dantonio days. He is now being attacked for lying about his health to get out of Florida, a top-five job in college football.

Those accusations fall largely on deaf ears: Ohio State Got The Last Laugh Dot Com Slash Haters Gonna Hate. It's a pageviews stunt that succeeds less often than it fails. Tatgate spread like a media virus; Meyer's character assasination attempts remain in the same predictable silos, just as long as the truth remains his ally.

Tressel's been out for a year, today. His legacy is far too complex to be one-sided: You should remember him both as the great coach and ambassador for Buckeye football that he was for a magnificent decade as well as how disgracefully and needlessly he caused his own termination.

Or you could remember him exclusively by only the former or latter. And you would be lying to yourself.

Comments

I still think Tress could have and would have taken the punishment up front if there werent 982592845 more layers to the story. In my opinion, he took a calculated gamble of hoping this would NEVER be exposed in lieu of self reporting and having his whole onion peeled back layer by stinky layer. After the cheap attempt at a cover up failed and snowballed, he eventually came to fall on the sword to make it stop.
The embarassment of the day, the tarnished reputation and the fact that it gives everyone we steamrolled during that time and excuse and an out are lasting feelings. I do not and will not hate Tress but the way he exited surely was not what anyone wanted. Tressel ball, dominating the B1G, only to get beat up on the national stage were definitely growing old to many of us but I think we all wanted a different ending for him and us.
Sure it's nice to now have the 1 guy that coached the pants off Tress head to head. I would like to win with some class and dignity and have no off the field issues...as we thought Tress was doing. But I think what we all really want is to move on...get some water under the bridge and let Urban do his thing...

I wouldnt say Pete Carroll out coached Tress in the game out there, I think U$C was just that much better. Perhaps in the U$C game at home, Tressel-ball may have come back to bite us...not going for the kill on 4th and 1 inside the 50. Both of those stung for different reasons.
But yeah, still not sure how Iowa and their 18th string running back destroyed us.

I agree with your sentiment, but I don't know if I would throw Oklahoma State in there. Wasn't that the Alamo Bowl? Thats a second tier bowl game. Not exactly a 'national stage'. And we were able to win that game without Troy Smith and playing Zwick (and Ginn) at QB.

Oh sorry, I was talking about south Carolina, Texas, Florida, LSU, USC, Texas, USC...anybody from the Univerity of the SEC really...those are the ones I wanted.
Half kidding here as Tressel no doubt was a hell of a coach for a period however only 2 of those games you listed garner any national respect. The Miami title game was awesome obviously. And it was nice to shut up the hype machine behind Oregon in the Rose Bowl. But Those games were nearly a decade apart.
We were exposed a handful of times and nationally everyone felt we cruised through a weak B1G only to crumble under the first adversity we face. As does everyone here, I love OSU whole heartedly, and would never admit that outside the family here...just stating that the perception was widespread out there. You can argue and defend that to a point...but then when your program gets busted with a slew of violations there's not much you can say...then it's time to take a step back, clean house, and hope to move on. Urban allows us a fresh start and a chance to regroup nationally.

For the record, I would have rather lost to Arkansas 150 to 0 then play the TatGate crew...the moment Tress announced they would play is the moment I bailed on him.

I think its time for all of us to quit lying and acting like we have never done wrong. I Love Jim Tressel but acknowledge that he made mistakes. I also acknowledge that we all make mistakes. Time to forgive Tress and forge into a future full of championships. God Bless JT! GO BUCKS!

Sitting here a year later I can honestly say I'm glad he is gone. He was a great coach and won a shit ton of games for us, but I was getting tired of the no answer answers and the dull boring offense. He made this bed and we were the ones that had to lie in it. Yeah he got fired, but he is 60yo and a multimillionaire. I'm not too upset for him. We had to suffer threw Walrusball and losing to AACC and MSU and everyone else. He didn't, but the kids did. He got a new cushy job with Akron and has moved on. It is time we do as well. Thanks for the memories Coach, but bring on Urban.

I disagree. Urban meyer is fantastic, there is no doubt, and he is without a doubt the best man for the job at the moment, but I think you are forgetting just how successful Tressel was. His winning record speaks for itself and he fit perfectly with the culture. Sure walrus-ball got a little frustrating at times, but do you know what's a great problem to have? Complaining about the gameplan in a game that we won. Imagine how much angrier you'd be if he came into every game with an exciting gameplan, openly answered every question, but lost every game.
Complaining about tressel's reign makes us seem like spoiled brats who are upset about getting an iPod touch instead of an iPhone. Tressel was a godamned great ipod touch (wow, strange analogy, sorry about that), and we have now moved on. We've yet to see if the newer version (urban) is better. All indications point to yes, but I don't think that means we need to drag tressel through the mud

I haven't forgotten how successful Tress was. That was a pretty great decade overall, although it ended horribly. Plus, there were a few years when the Offense was very good, but it seemed most years the Offense was very conservative or the dogs were called off early so the Defense could (hopefully) squeak out a win.
In the end, I do think I will much prefer Coach Meyer's more aggressive Offense. So far, I have also appreciated his blunt honesty with the media.

I'm also ready for a more aggresive offense. That said I never really got too angry at Tressels offense because as much as he barely squeaked out wins due to the conservative play-calling, I don't recall too many, if any losses, that occured as a direct result of said conservative calls. If anything, I might have even appreciated the wins more after those close calls.
Still, not having a heart attack 5 times a season or keeping my nails on my fingers will be a welcome change.

"Do not pass me, just slow down - I can move right through you" Superchunk - Precision Auto.

I'm not saying I didn't like JT. I did. His azz beatins of AACC alone was worht it. I think it was time for a breath of fresh air and UFM definetely is that. Tress will always have my upmost respect as a coach and man. But it has now been a year and it is time to move forward. I can say that without sounding like a spoiled brat. Bring on Urban!

alright, these are all fair opinions. I just don't want anyone to unduely criticize tressel, because if we got someone other than urban, im sure we would all be begging for him back. Sorry for callin y'all spoiled brats, I sometimes forget that this isnt ESPN and that we're all on the same team

No prob. You are correct, if we got anyone else other than Urbz I would be begging for Tressel back. He was one of the most winningest coaches in the game. But, we got Urban. I'm excited for the new era of Buckeye Football.

I'm sorry I have to say I think you're nuts and or spoiled regarding being tired of the no answers and boring offense. Were you tired of the wins? I wasn't.

Need I remind you that JT left on a Sugar Bowl win over an SEC school and potentially the #1 team in the country? I haven't thought about it but I just realized I went to JT and Joe Pa's last games in the same year... Anyway.

URBAN MEYER HAS NEVER COACHED A GAME FOR THE BUCKS! He is 0-0. Let's wait to see how he does before we start throwing roses and panties at him. I have as much optimism as the next guy but man that was a GREAT RIDE and we shouldn't forget it! It is going to be hard to match Tressel's level of success and honestly I don't think it will happen. I hope it does but I doubt it.

I might be nuts, but I was getting tired of the no news/info press conferences. The five minute double talk to a simple question. I was tired of "squeaking" past a team we should have blown out. The prevent offense when we were up by 10. I never understood why we couldn't continue to score points when we were up and give the defense a needed break. Yes, he won and won a lot. But, he broke the freaking rules! He isn't a Saint!
I remember the Sugar Bowl. I remember beating them soundly and then letting them back into the game. I remember it took a freaking miracle to pull the win out in the end. A miracle that didn't need to happen if he would have kept his foot on the gas the entire game. I also remember being blown out of the stadium on prime time TV against USC. I also remember losing a game we shouldn't to the same Trojans a year later. I remember being beaten by Florida and LSU. I remember what all of the players said after all of those big stage beat downs. "We knew exactly what they were going to do." I also remember that the B1G was down for the better part of the last 10 years. AACC hasn't been the same since 2006, if not before.
I understand Urban is 0-0 at OSU. I'm not saying he will be better than Tress. I'm excited for the new era to begin. I like the straight talk. I like the new philosophy on offense. I'm glad to see that "Dave" won't be the featured play, every play. We can't go back, and we shouldn't. Tressel was great when we had him, but he is gone. He is gone because of his own doing. It is time to move on. I'm honestly tired of reading articles about him. It's like picking at a scab and not letting the wound heal. It has been a year. Move on, Jim Tressel has.

I have to agree with the fact that squeeking out wins against mediocre teams that we could have easily blown out was more than frustrating. At the end of the day though, we had to be happy as fans with getting the W. The only year we actually did blow everyone out, we got blown out in the NC game and the year we squeeked out nearly every game, we won the whole damn thing. I'll take 2002 over 2006 any day.

Yes I was getting tired of knowing for sure we would beat everyone we were favored to beat and lose to everyone we were underdogs too. I did love the wins but I would rather go 6-6 every year then go to a BCS bowl and then have sanctions, violations and/or entire seasons vacated.
The Sugar Bowl doenst count for anything other than exposing JT. If he had any of the integrity/morals/teaching elements he claimed to have had, the Tat5 should have NEVER EVER set foot on that field. Pure garbage he played them whether the Sugar Bowl kept them eligible or not. He burried those emails all year proving his win at all cost mentality then openly displyed that mentality by allowing those kids to play after getting caught. YOU CAN NOT VACATE ENTIRE SEASONS AND REMAIN A SAINT.
With all that OSU encompases, any person up for the job could coach them to a .500 record, based on the schedules/competition alone. Before you flame away, Tressel was a great coach for a period of time but clearly things got away from him. The decade was great but he leaves the program with a proverbial black eye...period.

fantastic post ramzy, this is a nice perspective on things. i still scratch my head at the amount of media criticism for something that with hindsight, wasn't nearly as big of a deal as it should have been. I think the paterno, miami, and the never ending coverage of alabama'ssuitgate, should have put everything in perspective, although i still keep reading about how tressel "resigned in shame," I'm going to go over and stab george dohrmann. I don't think he is a disgrace. I'm proud to have had him as our coach. I have never once read a negative thing about his character; he made some mistakes, but he did so in protecting the people he cared about, and I hold nothing against him.
If only everyone who ever criticized him could read "The Man Who Wasn't There," which I think is the best post in 11w's history, and one of the finest pieces of writing I've seen on the interwebs. Ramzy, I'm happy we've got you here for ourselves, but you could absolutely take your talents to a more profitable area. Maybe replace dohrmann with someone more competent

I think you captured the feeling of the ambiguity that many of us feel - that Tressel was a very decent guy and very good coach who cared about his team and his assistants, cared about his community, but perhaps got the personal mixed in with the professional (as in, let his boys be boys when they needed to be held accountable as men; and kept assistant coaches that certainly weren't coaching/recruiting like their hair was on fire). And then to blow it all with a stupid, stupid lie that spread like kudzu and obliterated everything in its path. Unfortunately, the only thing that really works to kill kudzu is a blowtorch-which can damn near destroy everything nearby as well, including the reputation of the school that I love, donate to, and am a proud alumnus of. Although I am a big Urban Meyer fan, the cost was pretty dear. Which makes the idea, and eventuality, of a NC all the more sweet.

Yes - time does heal all wounds. One year later & like an old eight ball toy would say: the outlook is good.
I will always think of Tressel as a good coach & better human being. I will also always wonder what it must be like to coach at tOSU & all the pressure the toughest fanbase in sports (IMO) puts on a man. We all know Tressel made a mistake but how would we have reacted had he turned those 5 players in. Would we have called him a rat or been universally angry if had we lost a percieved chance at an NC due to Tressel doing what was technically the right thing? I'm not saying we are to blame... As is pointed out in the article the whole thing was complicated & had many layers that go beyond winning games but I still hold us fans acountable to some extent in what took place. In the future - I'll try to remember that it's just sports & losing games is not the worst thing that can happen to either myself, a player, or a coach.
Truly great writing as always!

"Do not pass me, just slow down - I can move right through you" Superchunk - Precision Auto.

Ramzy,
You have the innate ablility to concisely put down in words what I, and I imagine many of my fellow Buckeye faithful, struggle to adequately articulate. All of us have dealt with JT's resignation in our own way and I have tried my best to put these events in my own personal boxes of morality, outrage, depresssion, etc.
Thanks for being able to boil down these complex issues and feelings into something that is easily digested without sounding condenscending or preachy. You always seem to hit just the right note in your writing.
Hats off again to a wonderful piece of prose...

Its too complex to logic out- you've captured well the difficulty in reconciling his greatness as a coach and the many good things he did for many people versus the outright lies at the end.
I've come around to just think of him as a wayward family member. Doesnt matter what bad things he did, I still love him and respect the good things he did accomplish. I'll always see him as family.

I believe that was the cause of his downfall as well as his success: TEAM = FAMILY. How many times have you witnessed people making stupid decisions regarding the protection of their family member(s). Family always comes first but that can lead you into some dark places, especially for those who decide to exploit that loyalty.
I keep asking myself if the Tat5 weren't All American/All B1G players would he have still covered up his knowledge of the violations? Knowing what I know about JT, I keep coming back with the same answer of 'Yes' which I find hard to believe.
JT was unique and I miss him regardless of his faults.

Sad to say. Google 'Youngstown State NCAA violations' and Ohio State violations. Who ran both schools. Jim Tressell. Sorry folks, JT has always been a cheater. The pattern and history tells the truth. He was very good at pretending to "know nothing".

@Tankman, how about giving us a little of your background? Cause you sound a lot like the Michigan trolls who like to stir things up here.
BTW, all that bs you're alluding to has been documented as bs by non other than the author of this article. Go sell your crap somewhere else.
Idiot.

"In the end, the NCAA took away some scholarships and cited YSU with a lack of institutional control."
recognize this scenario? Sounds very close to the OSU situation. C'mon dude, use Google vs spewing insults. What happened at YSU and OSU are FACTS!!!!! Get a grip on reality!!!!

Used Google -- here you go.Ray Isaac on the Mickey Monus infractions he incurred while at YSU:

"Number one, I'm totally responsible for what I did at Youngstown State University. Every year, from the time I was on campus, from '88 to '91, Tressel had compliance seminars - not to deal with bookies, not to deal with drugs, not to deal with not buying or selling anything. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I met [booster] Mickey Monus. It is implied that on the first meeting that I had with Mickey Monus that I received $150. That is the biggest lie ever told. … Jim Tressel never ever knew anything about our dealings. I kept it secret. To say Coach Tressel knew about this car, or knew about this money, listen, the only way that anyone knew about the money I received from Youngstown State University was Mickey Monus got indicted on $1.1 million worth of embezzlement and fraud. In documents and public record, they found checks that were written to me. … That's the only way that this situation came to light. … Other than that, no one in the history of the world would have known the Mickey Monus paid me a dime."

So expalin the lies he told at OSU to this OSU bosses???? Still think he was clueless??
Cmon you moron, get a grip on reality, he pushed the boundries and got caught in his own lies. Whose the moron here?? At least now you know who Ray Issac was. TP replaced RI.

You know tankman, we are pretty civilized on this site, and we actually see that as a good thing. Thre are a number of other sites where you will fit right in if you are going to be calling people morons.

I usually only engage in debates with informed parties. I thought about making an exception in your case, but thought better of it.
You dont have to like JT. There is enough love for him in the actual Buckeye family which I greatly doubt you are a member of.
I am not sure what fanbase you belong to, but around here, we dont speak to people in the manner of name calling.
In sum; go away. Your insights are lacking and your opinions compete for both futility and banality -- not sure which one has the edge at this moment, but its a close race.

Maybe its because he thought that he had a great chance to run the tables with the Tat5 in the line up versus without them. Maybe he thought he'd take a chance that the attorney's info about the grand jury investigation wouldn't pan out. Maybe he thought he really was protecting his players. Maybe he didn't realize that when you delete an email....you really don't delete it - it's still archived. That possible NC payoff will make coaches do things they don't normally do......

I guess it just baffles me why somebody like Tressel, and all that he stood for, and all the hard work it took to build such a stellar reputation, put it all on the line for a few minor violations. It would have led to a few game suspensions that probably wouldn't have mattered to the win/loss statistics. Obviously the Miami would have been the big unknown there, but still would have had a decent chance to win that one as well!

The best thing about Pastafarianism? It is not only acceptable, but advisable, to be heavily sauced

There was definitely more to it. It's like when you have dirt on someone but you cant use it because they also have dirt on you. No other explination for the level of protection TP recieved. So Tress just took it as it came. Probably praying all along that the media wouldnt unearth all his skeletons.

Everyone knows how much I love JT. A year later (although at times it feels like decades), I still stuggle to reconcile the core of the man with the act which has mostly now defined him.
I think Poison Nuts is on to something regarding the pressure. Remember, JT had no issues benching arguably the most important player on our NC team for the entire upcoming season. Florida, LSU, the USC drubbing, the constant 0-9 banter; it had to take a toll.
I am excited for the Urban era to begin so as this wound can finally be healed. All scars have stories and I will always tell the one with spectacles and a sweatervest with affection and admiration. The truth and it's counterpart may not be able to reside in the same house, but love and lies certainly can.

I think Meyer is a better coach. But as they say, don't count your chickens yet. I think he could be in for some rough sledding for a while. I wouldn't assume that he will be leading the team to NC games any time soon.

What is particularly sad is that Tressel's entire legacy has been besmirched, not just the vacated games. And for what? I think Tressel could have won just as many games running a tighter ship.

Do you think that Tressel will ever publicly speak to the lack of congruity between his words and actions with the team, and his written words in The Winner's Manual? Ramzy, as you mentioned, two books on "virtuous living" make the deceit all the more hypocritical.

Pryor may have had faster straight line speed but Braxton is shiftier. And given how he performed in the mess of an offense last year I would be shocked of Urban doesn't develop him into a Troy Smith caliber or better passer.

It would have been fun to watch!! I have always been and will always be a big Pryor fan! He made some idiotic decisions while at OSU but MAN, could he just dominate a defense!!! He had a stiff arm that was only matched by Beanie Wells!
Braxton may not possess the aggressive and physical running style Pryor had, but has the change direction / make you miss kinda move that will break a defender's ankles! It will most certainly be a great thing to behold this year!!!

The best thing about Pastafarianism? It is not only acceptable, but advisable, to be heavily sauced

I was in my car that Memorial Day when the radio station broke in with their usual hype "breaking news". It wasn't usual but it was just what I suspected. My first thought was "whew, it's finally over". Too bad it wasn't.

Great read Ramzy...I agree on all accounts. I will always be grateful for the people that JT touched (no Penn State being implied there) as head coach of OSU. He played WAYYYYY too conservative in games that could have been lopsided wins for OSU that resulted in just that...or a close loss. I take you to the game that never happened I suppose, Ark has 10 points and OSU has 28 at the half. Now switch head coaches with Meyer...what do you think the final score would have been??? Still 31-26 or whatever??? Hell nah! That to me will be the one big difference is no more Tressel-ball. Do I think UFM will be as "in-tune" to "most" things like how a freshman football manager's time is going at OSU while walking through WHAC? Will Meyer be like JT in that way and give time when he doesn't "have to"...I'm not so sure? It's too bad that JT couldn't have just went forward and showed the email to everyone he should have. If that happens...he's still wearing the glasses and sweater-vests on Saturdays. Guess we'll see down the road who's time at OSU will be more revered with or without the scandal (s).

"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."

"I love football. I think it is most wonderful game in world and I despise to lose."

Awsome article .. I was sad to see Jt go I remember when Cooper got canned and the bucks were looking for a coach to guide them thrue the storm and it eventually came down to Glen Mason and Jim Tressell in hindsight we all know now who was the better choice.. I wish Jt nothing but the best going forward because I know he is rooting for us...

"GIMMIE THAT BEAT FOOL!!! IT'S A FULL TIME JACK MOVE" Ice Cube jack for beats..